INESC TEC researcher Hélder Oliveira joins European Commission expert panel on lung cancer

Hélder Oliveira is an INESC TEC researcher working in the field of Bioengineering and Artificial Intelligence, with an extensive track record in health research, particularly in lung health. His work has included introducing new Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based computational tools and models to optimise patient categorisation and improve diagnosis and treatment, as well as a wide range of projects focused on lung cancer diagnosis.

The researcher has now taken the next step, having been selected to join the Expert Pool of the European Commission’s Initiative on Lung Cancer (EC-LuC), coordinated by the Joint Research Centre (JRC). Joining this panel will allow him to contribute to recommendations that may help guide decisions in several countries on lung cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment – one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in Europe.

The selection process lasted around one year, and Hélder now has a new role ahead of him, which “is based on Topic-Specific Groups, which address priority health issues and, supported by systematic reviews carried out by independent experts, prepare proposals for recommendations and/or requirements. These proposals are approved by the Working Group, which is the decision-making body,” said the letter formally extending the invitation.

Although he is not a healthcare professional, the researcher believes that “being the PI (principal investigator) of the AI4Lungs project helped with this selection, as did 10 years of experience in this field, with other projects (LUCAS, LUCCA), and many scientific papers published in the area”. This experience was likely to have been decisive in his selection. “I think the selection committee saw me as a good candidate to help the Working Group, even though I come from a technical background,” he said.

Hélder Oliveira now hopes to bring the experience and results gained through these European projects to the Working Group. “I hope that, by being part of this group, I can make an effective contribution to improving all activities related to lung cancer. My research work in the field of cancer is truly a passion, and I always hope to contribute to helping patients and doctors throughout the roadmap associated with this disease,” he concluded.